Washington library plans mural contest for used bookstore

Washington Public Library’s used bookstore, The Rebook Store, should have some new art when it reopens.

Youth services librarian Jenisa Harris announced this week that the library is having a teen mural contest to decorate a long blank wall in the used bookstore space.

“We have a long, blank wall in that room, and I thought it would be really fun to do a teen mural contest,” Harris said. “It must be a library theme or a book theme.

“I’m leaving it open for them to be creative with it.”

The mural contest is open to youth from sixth grade through 12th grade.

“I thought that would be a fun way to incorporate the teens into the designing process,” Harris said.

Students should turn in their sketches at the library by Sept. 1.

“If I don’t get any applicants, I might even push it another month out, and when school starts, send it to local art teachers,” Harris said. “I’m excited to see what the kids come up with.”

Harris said that she, along with members of the Teen Advisory Board, would select the winning design.

“We have a local artist, Brandi Glaspie, who is going to help the winner make it into a larger scale and put it on the wall,” Harris said. “My Teen Advisory Board would paint it, with the artist there, of course.

“I thought it would be a really cool way to give the teens to kind of have their input on it and get to help paint it.”

She did not give a specific timeline as to when the mural would be completed and the store reopened.

“I’m not going to put any date on it, but I think it’s a great fall/winter project,” Harris said. “I would like to get the used bookstore back open, but I really don’t want to rush into it.

“I want to make sure the design is cohesive, and it looks really nice, and we get the right mural in there.”

The Teen Advisory Board manages the used bookstore as well as stocking and cleaning it.

The library received grants from the Washington Iowa Betterment Foundation and Walmart to help revamp the store.